The Deputy Chair of the EU Integration Committee, Nino Iobashvili participated in the OSCE PA Silk Road Group Conference in Istanbul.

The Conference was organized by the Head of the Delegation of Turkey, Selami Altinok and the Head of the Delegation of Azerbaijan, Chair of the Silk Road Group, Azay Guliyev.

The Conference was attended by Group members from various Assembly member states. The agenda included the enhancement of the connectivity in view to ensure energy and food safety in a crisis. The attendees heard the video addresses by the OSCE Chair-in-office, Foreign Minister of Poland, Zbigniew Rau and the EU Commissioner for Energy, Kadri Simson, as well as the high officials of the Parliament of Turkey and the OSCE PA.

N. Iobashvili attended the debates, where she highlighted the importance of connectivity and the uninterruptedness of energy and food provision in the national and regional security frame. She noted that connectivity and energy security acquires particular importance against the background of the Russian aggression in Ukraine.

She dwelt on the importance of the EU candidate status for Georgia, overviewed the steps and reforms enforced by Georgia in this view and dwelt on the macroeconomic stability and favorable business milieu in the country despite the challenges.

The attendees adopted the Istanbul Declaration emphasizing the importance of connectivity and the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railroad.